Have you ever wondered what riding a PhP 25-million car feels like? Obviously, only a scant handful of people would ever dream about (or, much less, own) such a car. And, if you’re one of the few who have one, you would probably treat it like a baby. Well, that’s not what the Land Rover Defender OCTA, which is a PhP 25-million car itself, wants you to do.

I learned this firsthand when I spent a day with the Defender and the Defender OCTA. Far more than a simple driving test, the day showed off what the car can do under more extreme circumstances.

Under more controlled conditions

As much as I would have loved to find the Defender’s limit myself, the multi-million-peso price tag was just too much to swallow. So, I went with Land Rover’s more controlled tracks and experience to check out the capabilities of the offroad-focused vehicle.

First up were a series of artificial slopes and an elevating ramp. Now, going on offroad trails is fun; actual emergencies, however, are not. While Land Rover is naturally unable to manufacture an emergency, a series of humps that tilt the car 20 to 30 degrees to its side is a close enough estimate. Another, a series of alternating humps, lift one or two wheels of the ground. Finally, the ramp lifts the entire car up by its rear.

Though a mere blip in Land Rover’s extensive suite of offroad modes, the Mud Ruts mode is an essential part of the Defender’s toolkit to guide the car through uneven, slippery terrain. For other situations, the Defender also has Grass/Gravel/Snow Mode, Sand Mode, Rock Crawl Mode, Wade Mode, and Auto Mode.

But enough of the technicals for now. The Defender thrives on doing the work for you. All you have to do is point it in the right direction and apply a bit of power. The car pushes by itself. While us humans fear the unnatural feeling of having wheels off the ground, the Defender does this with ease. It was the face of stoicism.

Much of the same happened with the admittedly frightening ramp. Though we were suspended at a perilous angle, the Defender looked like an adrenaline junkie who can just ride a roller coaster with a straight face. Its powerful Hill Descent Control kept its wheels stuck to the ramp.

Now on the trail

Artificial circumstances are all well and good, but how about real-life situations? For that, we took the Defender to an offroad track made especially for the car.

Now, to be fair, yes, it was a customized trail that had little risk of unexpected incidents. But it was rugged enough to be a representation of what you might encounter in the real world. We went through rough roads, more realistic descents, and the occasional stream of water.

We also had a qualified instructor with us, but getting what you need from the car is as easy as flipping a switch. Just as in the artificial obstacle course, the offroad trail was something that the car can handle on its own.

In the likelier event that you don’t have an instructor with you, the Defender can offer all the information you might need to get past an obstacle. As I’ve said, the car can do the work for you, but it’s not an unseen force that does the talking. Among all the cars that I’ve tried with similar features, the Defender has the most comprehensive assortment of displays, including pitch, roll, and bank angle. It also has an impressive series of cameras to ensure that your prized possession escapes a situation relatively unscathed.

Interlude: All about that BASS

If it was built purely for offroad trails, the Defender will have a hard time justifying its high price tag. Thankfully, it’s not just a prize for the great outdoors. The car also has a luxurious suite of comfort and convenience features baked inside.

It’s easy to name the standard array of features, like the infotainment panel or the air conditioning, but the real pièce de résistance is what Land Rover calls the Body and Soul Seats (or BASS, for short).

Available only on the OCTA models of the Defender, the BASS offers immersive sound technology embedded inside the seats themselves. It vibrates according to the song you’re listening to. It’s very immersive and much like strapping a subwoofer to your back.

Alternatively, it also comes with a wellness mode that has six presets designed to keep you calm in tough traffic. As opposed to the immersive mode that can keep your blood pumping for exhilarating drives, wellness mode is more relaxing.

How to turn your Defender into a rally car

I’m not going to pretend that I have any sort of rally experience. So, when the final leg of my day with the Defender was announced as a high-speed, loose-gravel trail, I was frankly frightened… and a little bit excited.

Before we get into the experience, a short introduction to OCTA Mode is necessary. On its own, the Defender is as sporty as it gets. However, OCTA Mode, available only on the eponymous model, is what you might consider a sport mode on steroids, a beast unleashed. As the appointed driver said to me, it’s designed to reduce grip and enable power-sliding, making it perfect for trails like this. Though that sounds unsafe, it makes for a much more exciting experience out on the track.

Imagine telling a 635hp beast to run free. That’s what OCTA is.

And exciting, it was. As scared as I was at first, I learned to trust the car by this point. The experience was without compare.

For one, the Defender OCTA’s 0-60 is just an absurd 3.8 seconds. In no time at all, we were already barreling through the course at blinding speeds. Secondly, braking and cornering were also smooth. At no point did I feel that the car was out of control.

We also tried the mode on paved roads. Though it was less grippy, we still had the feel of the road underneath our tires. We weren’t skating on ice.

How I learned to stop worrying and love the Defender

The beauty of the Defender series is in how it melts fear. When you first see a beast like the Defender, you rarely have any idea of what to expect. However, the car quickly teaches you to let go of your fear.

There is no need to baby the Defender. Yes, it costs upwards of PhP 6 million (and PhP 25 million for the OCTA), but the ability to conquer rough terrain is part of what you’re paying for with the Defender. As they say, “when you’ve got it, flaunt it.” In this case, flaunting it isn’t just about leaving it out in the open; it’s about unleashing the beast and letting it roar.